IslamChat Webinar 06.14.2020
Mohammad Elshinawy – The Art of Being Witty in Dawah
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The importance of finding guidance and happiness in the public eye and building a framework for others to use is crucial in achieving success in media events. The COVID-19 crisis has affected the economy and the overall economy, creating a greater need for people to practice social distancing and find commonality in conversations. The virus is a structural issue and needs to be addressed, and treatments need to be developed quickly. Working from home is a possibility for treatments to be effective and efficient.
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lasting,
positive impact on this earth and carrying people to the shores of the Prophet Sall, Allahu Allah, he'll send them the shores of his guidance through the storms that we braved the storms of ideologies or storms of, of beliefs, the storms of confusion and misunderstanding. May Allah help us deliver people to safety and find him and find his guidance, and ultimately find his pleasure after everything is said and done a lot more I mean.
So, it's a pleasure to be amongst everyone again. And I deeply admire, really not just the cliche, and not just the formalities, people like yourselves who put in the work day in and day out. Behind the scenes, behind the scenes, sometimes I wonder, and I wish, if things could have been or should have been different.
It is not that we are ungrateful to Eliza Jed for placing us somewhat in public light somewhat of a public figure. But it is also recognizing that it is so much harder to capitalize caching, if you will engender points in the pleasure of a lot when you're working out in the public. And so those that are working on a one on one data or those that are working in the
more direct sector of the hour and bringing people to Islam, not even just to understand things of Islam, but what you're absolutely sure about La ilaha illAllah, Muhammad little sort of law, the Absolute Truth, there's, you know, no losing there. And the fact that you do that, behind the scenes in sha Allah is a testimony to your sincerity, in wanting Allah's pleasure by doing the work of his prophets. So May Allah increase you and raise you and protect you and allow you to find the fruits of this in your lives and your families, and your wealth and your health and in generations to come to that after you love them. I mean,
so the hour is the mission of the prophets, called heavy sabini say to Mr. Mohammed sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, this is my path. So be the agora lead Allah my path is that I call to Allah. I invite to Allah
at the elite Allah He addabbo CLT. I invite to Allah upon clear sight upon insight upon clarity.
And lm antic divani I am upon clear sight in my call me and those who follow me was apana la hilma. And then we should have Cain and Glorified is a law above every imperfection above that every inferiority and Glorified is a law and I am not of those who fall into
the tragedy of setting equals with a lot of equating others with the most great soprano hautala the unequal in his supremacy, tomato Tada. So that part of the verse is really what we're talking about. Being part of the path of the prophet SAW Selim is not just to invite to Allah for sure that's inseparable, but to invite to Allah, the way he invited to Allah, Allah Lavanya, send him Allah will see you upon clear sight. And that shows you
that even though your call is the purest call, it's the call to Allah, you're selling people, if you will, not materialistically but the most awesome product ever.
The only product through which they will actually thrive in a worthwhile way, in a real way in an authentic way as human beings. You know, the product that actually isn't lying to them, when it tells them it will give you god it will give you purpose, it will give you everything you were made to have and made to enjoy. That product is not the whole story. It's about the strategy by which I lead will see a lot in this strategy by which you call to it.
And so that will see it of course the scholars have spoken about it such great length.
Obviously, it starts with knowing the product that you're selling, if you will, right. Knowing the content of the product, knowing the specs if I want to borrow a technology term, or a device term, knowing the specs of your product is is like the bare minimum or else What are you calling to, and knowing why this is valuable. But you being the right salesman is not just about knowing the specs of your product.
It goes without saying we all know this that actions speak louder than words you you being seen as someone that reflects and embodies that product is far more powerful because actions speak louder than words. And a part of that of course your courtesy and your your smile and your dour
These things they reinforce one another, how you treat people, how you speak to people, how you listen to people,
is a part and parcel of the vasila the insight that you need to have that without treating them right without speaking to them, right?
It won't really matter.
And we may come back to this in Charlottetown, when we when we visit the story of use of a setup, but just
keep in mind the the the obstacles in your data will always Yes, your your product is so awesome. But how do you remove the barriers between your product and between getting your audience to consider that they need this product that they don't have anything like this product,
to listen, basically, because understanding the truth of Islam understanding the truth in general in any matter, but just Islam as the example attending today's webinar is not the hardest part of the mission. But getting people to listen with the intent to understand. That's the hardest part of the mission, like finding the truth is not the hardest part, wanting to find the truth is the hardest part. And that's why our Dean's upon law focuses so much on purity, and sincerity and honesty and all of that and humility. Because that's harder.
That deep cleaning that allows you to even consider the truth when it comes your way is far more difficult sometimes many times then recognizing the truth, once that
setting is there. And also, you know, many people, they resist Islam, after recognizing that it's true
for emotional reasons, you know, the what is going to be the consequence of me embracing this or accepting this or admitting this. And so they may come back at you with a response.
That's intellectual and intellectual objection. But there is an emotional barrier there that you must be witty enough. See what Tina is not just having like quick, intelligent, charismatic answers. No, it's about you reading through the lines, you realizing what is the real problem here?
That's part of wit.
Another part of which also, is you not getting dragged into tangents in your doubt, to notice that
this is a red herring if you know the expression, but it's a distraction. I can't be focused on this. You know, for example, responding to doubts about Islam, objections about Islam
will never get someone to become Muslim. They may accept the get them to accept Islam as fine as okay as Alright, not as bad as I thought. But it will not get them to realize that Islam is God's religion, Islam is the ultimate truth. Islam is the true message of all the prophets, it will not get them there. Building certainty and refuting doubt are two completely different projects
on so many levels, and this is not really the place to talk about that. But at least know without looking at the different all the differences, at least to know that you must have the wit to always gear the conversation in a polite way. Again, we're building here we're not saying ignore this and in a polite way, in a in a in a gentle way in a discreet way. Shifting, channeling the conversation back to why we believe Islam is the truth.
Which is the which is the fundamental because if it is the truth, then after that we can get to the doubts and why. Either they're not really doubts to begin with, or why even if they were true, even if we don't have an answer for them yet.
That will still will not change the fact that these proofs are undeniable that is being very witty, that's part of being very strategic
in a very good way.
Okay, and that really is about we our intention really comes a lot back to the intention. What do you want out of this conversation? Do you want to win the conversation? Or do you want to win the person with which you're having a conversation? The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was bent on keeping people by any means necessary. He exhausted himself salatu salam wa Ali, he invested so much in saving people, even the people that harmed him, even the people that insulted him, even the people that took up arms against them. And you know the if in a hadith about this with our letter, Matthew sakata 30. You almost like killed yourself chasing after them to believe in these words of
yours. And so if if it's coming from the right place, a lot will inspire you and you will look to learn also, he'll inspire you to learn or
just inspire you to respond in ways that bring you towards that goal in the way that and not just outsmarts, you're the person, you're locked in a conversation with outsmart shape on who is trying to divert the conversation to places that are not fruitful.
And so your wit,
which again, does not mean trickery, because people are probably signing into the program. And hearing the lecture midway is not about you being
obviously not sinister, obviously not conniving, or deceiving. But it's not just about having the flashy answers, having the you know, something, someone, that's actually one of the best ways to not be listened to, is to corner someone into a place where they're gonna fight or flight, right when they're going to get defensive.
It's actually when you're, you can corner them, but you give them an opening for them to like, you know, step into the other place. It's almost like playing chess, if you believe chess is hella
long story Don't ask me.
And so that strategy is part of what's giving people room to move in the direction that you want them to move in, not just to listen to you or not at all to listen to you, but for their own good, not yours.
And so your your courtesy, your listening, your
strategy, this all builds the framework for them to make use of your very powerful proofs your very powerful evidences
you know, it's also part of with by the way to, to not have few evidences, you know, like you find it in the in the book of Allah xojo that Ibrahim alayhis salaam when he was debating with an emerald, he said, he said, What?
in rugby, rugby league Do you meet my lord is the one who gives life and push to death. So the king said, I don't know what will meet. The king was trying to be witty, in the wrong way, right.
I give life and I put to death as well. And they say that he brought two prisoners from the dungeon he executed one he let one go free say See, I'm just like your Lord.
Ibrahim alayhis salam did not allow that to paralyze the conversation. That's part of what he didn't say no, that's not what I mean. You're being silly that he didn't do this. He moved right on the verse right out, says Ibrahim said in the La Jolla TV show steaming that Machinery Factory. bml mevlevi kabukiza Latika.
Ibrahim said my lord brings the sun from the east causes the sun to rise from the east, so make it rise from the west. And so the disbeliever was stumped.
And, of course, because he was a hospital, Milton disbeliever,
a hopeless case, in a sense, or arguably a hopeless case at that point of the story. And so he stumped him. But we're not talking about stumping people in our data because people are not all Nimroz, they would be wrong to classify the world like that into black and white. There are many truth seekers out there. But the idea is the truth seeker may not see the proof, or may have an answer to one of your proofs that they think holds one that they think is a valid rebuttal. And so you just if you move on to the next proof right away.
Many of you may have seen you know, there's like very famous clips circulating around the doctors that good night.
May Allah protect them and preserve him, where he rattles off one after another one after another one after another until like the person you know, it's overwhelming. Like, where am I going to run?
He does this or he used to do this. I don't know if he still does this. I personally don't do this anymore. I don't believe it is the the ideal or sometimes even the correct way to
to prove the inevitability or the divine origins of the Quran.
But he does this with scientific proofs a lot. But that concept is very powerful. That concept is something in the Quran, when our lives dogen says for a knitted heaven.
Where are you going to run over from all of these different signs and so to have an artillery, if you will, to have a big toolbox of many, many different signs
helps keep the conversation from deadlocking getting tense getting uncomfortable.
being adaptable, and where are you going to possibly go at this point? You know, similarly in sort of the tool, so the tool you should know that in our debate in the multimedia Lavanya lovely pleased with him at the time when he was initiated, he says and this is just mind boggling. Makati and elsewhere. He says that I entered
Medina, after sunset, he entered why he was a disbeliever. At the time of this incident, he relates this how do you definitely became Muslim. He says, I came into Medina to negotiate for the captive of Polish of the people of Mecca after the Battle of bed. So like there has just been a war between the Muslims and the idolaters, the pagans, of Croatian Mecca, right. And so debate and multiroom is coming to ransom off some of his Klansmen to get to win them back. So you can imagine how much resentment was inside him, that he's not coming to, like, explore Islam and broaden his horizons and like, it's not a book club meeting where there's coffee, and we're just checking out what's in this
book and like reflecting on it Not at all. He says, and I entered and it was another time and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was reading from sort of a tool.
And sort of a tour, I don't have time actually to, to go through the chat with you now but resourceful tool students a tool has especially in that second page, a,
a quick fire list of powerful rhetorical questions, where they created out of nothing that they create themselves, they create the heavens of the earth, no, they're not certain oil, is this or is it this? Or is it this? Or is it this? Or is it and he says, a debate says, When I heard the province often in reciting these verses,
can be any uglier, my heart almost flew out of my chest, like I was just overwhelmed with like, I was marveling at these words, so profound. And then he says it was that moment is the current amount of that faith finally settled in my heart. And after that, soon after that, I became Muslim. So it penetrated from what from the overwhelmingness I don't want to say this the width of the Koran, that term may be inappropriate, but the resilience of the poor and
in giving such a variety of proofs as part of the the width that you need,
in addition to your, your proofs, so basically look at it like this,
there is a battle in your data, okay? between you,
and between
the forces that prevent your audience from seeing your posts. And so what you need to do, you need to build a bridge, okay? between your heart and their heart, you want to get over all these obstacles.
And so that bridge is your manners, your manners, your courtesy, your persona, your character, that is the bridge over which your proofs march into their heart. And then coming back to the point of resilience, having so many options not getting stuck on just one proof, oh, man, I thought it was gonna work, I'm stuck in the water. No, you have to have an army of proofs. And so you have to have an army to march across. You can't just build this whole bridge and have this one guy, your ambassador, your one proof. And then he gets assassinated as soon as he gets to the walls, because you're, you can consider the bridge like your leap over shape. But then there's still also the walls
of the person his own, you know, I'm going to change the religion of my parents, my parents are wrong, does that mean, you know I have to change my whole lifestyle is that so you're going to need to build the bridge, consider that your character, and then you're going to need a whole army of proofs.
Because, you know, no army ever comes back with all its people. The one proof will fail at this particular task, not that it's a failing proof inherently at this particular task, or another.
And then consider, of what can be said about this whole concept
of strategy. And within our data, is that verse we began with our program today. He said, he say this is my path. My path is that I call to Allah. Allah upon clear sight, clear sight, me and those who follow me. That was at the back end of what I've sort of use the chapter of use of Allah, He said,
The story of Yusuf Joseph, peace and blessings be upon him and his father and his descendants, all of the believers among them all.
Use Ali Salam is just such a beautiful illustration of effective our prophetic Tao, the Tao of the prophets, you know,
when he entered prison, soon as he entered prison,
and much was said by historians regarding like different aspects of why he was seen as righteous in the prison. That's why he was approached by people and I'll omit all of that, for the sake of time, but just realize the people in the NGO present they recognize him right character, they recognize that in an argument machine, we have we see you to be a good door.
So interpret our dreams.
For us, and so
use of Allah he said, he said, What? He took advantage of them. That sounds wrong.
But taking advantage of people, taking advantage of people for your sake is wrong because it's selfish. But taking advantage of people for their sake is weight, its intelligence. It's for their own good. It is sincerity many times, like you use their angle for their own good. So
you you, you optimize and capitalize on that opportunity. So he said he saw them
come to him.
Assuming that this guy looks religious, or this guy looks righteous, that happens all the time, whether until present day.
I never forget, when my father brought him a whole lot of a lot of mercy on him,
was in the hospital. This nurse she was a devout Christian.
She came, I was wearing a white film. It was Dumont. I just came from the masjid. And so that night, I was still in my wife, though. And she came and said, You look really religious, can I tell you something, I need help. And she started telling me about how her her husband's a loser basically,
he left her something to this effect. I was just blown away by the fact that she would come tell me I look religious, when I don't subscribe to the same religion as her. What people are like that people in their times of vulnerability will cling on to whatever catches their eye first as a means of hope. And so you want to make yourself available and use those moments to give them something better than what they're looking for.
Meaning they could be looking for their problem right now in marriage, in finance or otherwise, but Allah could have sent
that problem to direct them to him to kind of deal with that. And so it's not even like you're giving them some charity or even giving them a job right? Like teach a man to fish to feed him for a lifetime, as opposed to give them a fish you feed him for a day? No, you're actually extending to them an opportunity Allah has allowed you to extend to them an opportunity through that point of vulnerability, that point of need forever. So take advantage of that is what we mean. You're not bribing people to become Muslim. You're not tricking manipulating people to become Muslim. You are using that moment that use values that I'm used
to get past the obstacles that prevent them from hearing about Islam from considering Islam. That's all.
And that is why By the way, in Islam, you think about this, the width of this the wisdom of this, if you will, that of the people that are entitled to their cat in Islam, one of the eight categories of Zakat you find so the tilbyr are more or less at four Lupo, the people whose hearts you're trying to warm over to the religion. So that's new Muslims who are like on the fence, the cross on them would give them money, why give them money to help get those ill feelings and if they're hard to get them to actually have an opportunity to experience a spiritual experience spiritual enlightenment, right to help them along to get them past their own demons if you will.
And so that means people that are rich by the way, like the poor are one of the eight categories the needy or another. Those you're trying to warm their hearts, it means they're not poor. They're still entitled to that cat because
there's a humongous benefit in that. Anyway, so use it Sam did this. He saw their need and he reassured them he said like to come out for Island tours are funny. He landed back to Kumasi that we apply to Kuma
no food will come to you before your next meal. I'm going to explain to you the meanings of your visions of your dreams. And then he makes a very witty turn. Very wise turn he says this. What you're asking for the dream interpretation. Mima Alemany Robbie, is of what my lord has taught to me. And then he turns the conversation to what to his Lords who kind of go into it. And he says, I left the people even though these guys could be among those people, but look at him not triggering their defenses. I left the people that don't believe in God. Can you believe it? Those guys outside they actually believe x, y and z is very beautiful. No one should be more civil than you more witty
than you more respectful than you. In our conversations. You should never get to conversation with someone and they outdo you in respectfulness in courtesy. And I'm talking about the people that are having conversations with you the people that are adamantly hostile and militant. You guys I believe everyone on this
webinar, I think there's a virtual doubt. So there's the block button for sure. That's fine, because like life is short and it's an open ended conversation. You know, you want to have something linear and productive.
That's fine, block those people if that's with their policy, but I definitely would.
Because you're not being here, week or you're not No, you're protecting the person in front of you from being contaminated in a very
sensitive or vulnerable state. They are still on the incubators still trying to be given what they need to be independently capable of finding the truth.
Anyway, so he said those people outside they don't believe in God. And then he says, All they worship our SMS on send me to move, and to
all they worship are these names that they made up and gently, gently, showing them the futility of the false guts, right like he then was not attacking. Like he's telling he's telling them they are worshipping imaginary Gods meaning, you know, I've been fighting gives an example of what this verse which is repeated throughout the for the concept of worshiping nothing but names, meaning, it does not give value to something to call it valuable. He says, in the whole of nymphaeum, that if I were to take an onion, and take its peels and call its peels, bread, or call its peel steak, how's that? Would that make it steak? Would it nourish me? Would it give me the protein that they gives me? No,
it wouldn't. Likewise, the fact that we call these gods is just the silliest thing in the world, to live on devote our lives to wishful thinking. And that's a profound point that maybe we can talk about, in a different subject. The idea that
people living their own truths is so unfortunate because the fact that you tell yourself or society echoes back to you reverberates that its truth does not change the fact that it's not the truth, right? Like someone says, I believe I am spiritual, I believe I am not spiritual. Those names mean nothing. They don't change the fact that you either have a spirit or you don't have a spirit, you actually are spiritual, and you're in denial about it, or you're not spiritual, and you're wishful thinking, obviously, we are spiritual creatures, we have a spirit. And so this is there's so much to learn. I don't want to get caught up on the story of Yusuf Ali said, I'm here, but it's a passion of
mine.
And so Yusuf Ali Salaam does that he tells them nothing is going to come to you except that so they he has their attention. Once he has your attention, he turns to direct the conversation to what they need to hear. Even By the way, sometimes if you can when possible, and it's a one on one conversation. Sometimes that moment of discomfort with your wit can be your greatest inlet, past their defenses, like when someone disrespects you, and you ignore the disrespect altogether. And use focus on the item attend. It's almost like you know, when someone says you're
forgiven, a jerk or something. And little kids, we say this on your little kids, I'm not sure if it's still around. I'm sure its equivalent will exist. If it doesn't, we say I know you are, but what am I?
Or I here's a better one, when they say you're a loser and use a license. Let me say that America, May Allah forgive you doing that Allah forgive you, makes them feel so bad that you did not reciprocate
the attack.
And so the moments of, you know, attack, verbal attack or otherwise, being dismissed, is one of the greatest acts of with as well. It's not just verbal comebacks, guys, we must understand this.
And I'll give an example. Or two of this Ibrahim Ibrahim ahola, one of the great great scholars and no bed devout worshippers in the history of our oma
one time. A Jewish man said to Abraham atom
what is pure, your beard
or my dog's tail?
Like a dog sale or something to the tail even got the head dry so it's like worthless plus dogs lick their tails. And so it's supposed to be clean. Once you Muslims
believe that this is the majority position, at least if there's any Maliki's in here, don't get upset at me. The majority of scholars have always believed that the saliva of a dog is impure, right?
Is nudges ritually impure, and so he's telling him that my dog cleans his tail more than you you have a beard. Now of course, the beard is a symbolic religion, symbolic, observable facet of our Islam the prophet SAW Selim taught the men to keep the beards in terms of mustaches. And so he's provoking him. He's making fun of his religion. Basically.
He's telling him that this is clean, though you consider it filthy. It is cleaner than yours.
religious symbol, right? Just and so that could have been the beginning of a very nasty conversation. Ibrahim Adham Rahim Allah listen to this insult this offense and he said what he said to him, if this beard winds up in Paradise,
then it is pure than your dog's tail. And if this beard winds up in the Hellfire, then your dog's tail is superior is better than it.
That is not exactly the response the man was except expecting. And I'm sure that's response there in him
an impact
regarding an impression regarding men, these Muslims really have a powerful belief in Paradise and hellfire. So it rubs off on your audience. Also, when you actually believe these things, and it's reflected in your character, it is reflected in in you being objective and you're not being immoral, all these things just trickle in sometimes subconsciously, with the way that you react to people. You know, they say that's how you win your spouse as well. It's not the gifts you buy, you know, the things you do. It's the things you don't do at times of conflict, that you don't snap back or otherwise anyway. So when Abraham, Abraham mahoma had the wit, the moral with and you know that
there are ways to respond in that way. The man was so moved that he became Muslim. He said, Well law, he may have he left level MBA or law he these are none other than the manners of the prophets. And he said a shadow layer larger than normal Rasulullah. Similarly, with the mention of a Jewish man,
our history also records one thing I guess reminds us of another this is not
to pick on any one group or
to develop for us to develop stereotypes in that way, at all. No way.
Because the Quran tells us they are not all the same, right? He said, Allah says Lacy Salah People of the Book of them are like this, and all of them are like this. And so those broad brushes
are usually are almost always acts of evil acts of oppression and injustice. Anyway, so there was a Jewish man though that was what the report says that historical report says that was had oil stained clothes, he was a laborer.
And he cited in the hijab, Rahim Allah, the great Jeffery scholar, and he's explained our second body and the
last Kalani Rahim Allah, Allah bestow mercy on him. He was riding through Egypt because he was a judge in Egypt and on his chariot. He had like a fancy ride basically wearing fancy clothes. And so the Jewish man said to him, You By the way, this doesn't mean that they were like materialistic they wore this judges wore this in our tradition, to ward off bribery. That was one of the reasons why they dressed like this. So no one would try to give them money to pass verdict in their favor. Because you look at them be like Amen. I can't possibly tempt a person who has so much more than me. Anyway, back to it. I just have to make these disclaimers sometimes.
So he said to him, the hijab, look at you look at all this fancy, extravagant clothing and right you have? Didn't your profits say that this worldly life is the prison of the believer and the paradise of the disbeliever? So if Nagios said he did, he said, they will look at you and look at me. Like how are you in prison right now? And how am I in paradise right now. And how Java him a whole lot
responded in a very intelligent, very witty, very productive way. That is the point, which is a lot of the time being productive, dodging the personal attacks, and you know, making use of like repurposing them in a in a in a data mined way.
So if Nigel said to him, it is true that
compared to what awaits the believer in the next life, I'm in prison right now. It's relative, he says, and compared to what awaits the disbeliever if they reject the truth in the Hellfire, you're in paradise right now. And so he said to him, is that what your profit meant? He said, Yes. He said, then in that case,
I switch over to your religion, I'll become a, I'm gonna lose out on both worlds. And so he considered and actually committed himself to Islam.
And also a part of it. Because time is running out a part of which is to have knowledge of your audience. This is all about character and making good use of it and people knowing your audience meaning the conditions of your audience as best you can. Sometimes you don't if it's virtual, so you just try to read between the lines there an emotional objection here. All those things right. But now I want to switch over to another category of width, which is in the the actual article
documents, arguments don't mean fights arguments means that the the proposals, the intellectual proposals you're making to persuade someone that's what's meant your persuasive proposals, your arguments.
It requires knowledge of the audience. And this could be categorical, like knowing what this belief system believes versus what that belief system believes. Or else you could be using something that can't relate to.
or refuting something. You know, in philosophy. There's actually a
something that happens a lot in Dallas, they call it the Scarecrow argument where you couldn't you look like sometimes you just don't understand. But you look like you could not handle their position. It was too tough for you to to dismantle. And so you created another position, the Scarecrow right looks like a human, not a human. You created another one because it's easier to beat up a scarecrow. He's like made of hay, right? He's stuffed with nothingness, dry fiber. And so it's called the skeptical argument.
And so it's a pseudo refutation. Sometimes they do that you refuse something that the person doesn't believe at all,
which makes you look very weak. makes you look like you have a shallow understanding and a shallow position, a weak position.
So I will welcome to Leonie Rahim, Allah, the famous story about him, when he went to debate some of the high priests bishops or Cardinals perhaps
he was
prepared for by lowering the door, the door of the conference room, right, the courtyard where they would be sitting.
And so why did they do that? Because everyone has to bow to the high priests in their culture.
And they know that Muslims don't bow to anyone but their Creator, to Allah subhanho wa Taala, they reject this type of homage to human beings, we don't bow to anyone, but Allah. And so they lowered the door. So he has to kind of bend down to go in and say like, haha, we got you to bow basically. And so when he came in, he saw the door, he understood
what they were trying to mitigate or work around. So what did he do? He did something very witty.
He turned around and walked in backwards, you walked in with his, sorry, his rear.
And then he walked in, they say that he walked straight in, turn back around, now walk straight in with the dignity of the believer, if you will. And he said to him,
to the high priest, how are you? hope you're well, how's the family, wife and kids hope they're good, too. That's along those lines. I'm obviously paraphrasing. And so the man was offended, say we are men of God, we don't marry you know, the concept of monasticism or celibacy is something that high priests
consider an act of devotion, their religion, and so they are above right, they consider it lust to be a cardinal sin, and therefore those who can avoid it for a lifetime, are a special class and therefore priests don't marry arguments to that effect, right? Even if I miss wording it a bit, but that is the general concept.
And so he said he was opposed, like, how dare you like, assume that I have a wife and a child, we are priests we are we are married to God dedicated to God, we don't get married, how can you come debate me about the intricacies of my religion and you know,
my faith, and you don't know, the the ABCs of my faith, the very basics. And this was actually from the width of the book about the learning. He was, quote, unquote, playing dumb, he was acting like he did not know these things, to corner him in the debate before the debate before he even knew that debate that start had started. And he told him, so you find yourself above having a wife or a child, yet you attribute to God,
a wife or a child, meaning Mary and Jesus peace and blessings be upon them. And so basically, he ended the debate before it started very witty.
Again, when and how to use these kinds of arguments requires you to have emotional intelligence requires you to understand your circumstances and all of that. And all the variables involved. This is very similar to the story that said about that, Oh, honey, for him alone, he's debating the atheists, do you?
And he said, I'm sorry for coming late to the debate. It's just that there was a river I couldn't get it to you but a tree fell all by itself and carved out into a canoe all by itself. And, you know, carried me to the river and carried me across the river to you all by itself. And so the man said, You're crazy. You're lying. You know, you're probably just scared or something you That's why you didn't come you hesitated. He said words to the effect of us expect me to believe that, that this will happen by itself. He didn't realize that it will honey forever.
Low was was killing the debate before the debate started.
It was neutralizing. And he's saying, well, then I refuse to debate you. If you find it hard to believe that a tree becomes a canoe by itself, you want us to discuss how this entire universe and the magnificent majestic cosmos, were all assembled by themselves. conversation over.
Again, be careful how you use this, I know this is very invigorating to have a lady answer. And there's a little bit of ego here as well. But sometimes it's called for because sometimes
you're not trying to win the person in front of you, you felt like it's taking too long, or at the expense of other more important more winnable achievements. And you want to win over there, the audience that is watching the two of you. So you're going to say it with the best character, you're going to say it when the time is right. You asked a lot to always give you hate them, I give you the best discretion. And then you move on.
And so many examples of this, I mean,
not offensive, this is an easier category of what it was great with meaning wisdom strategy tactfulness, from jaffrabad, we thought about the love on the Companion of the prophet SAW send them when they went to Ethiopia, and no one's ever seen you have the chef, that of all the things he could have recited to him from the Quran, he recited to him from Somalia, right, because that was the commonality. And so to begin with commonalities, before differences is part of what
you know, a common ground, like look for points of agreement, always look for points of agreement. And then talk about nuance, that is very helpful, validate people's positions, like who likes to be told that they're wrong, you know, in the idea of you know, shift command vacuum I love lesson was that famous seminar, I don't know if he still gives it attended at about 20 years ago,
or a little less than that,
on how to give us your head and 10 minutes, you know, the first thing he says, By the way in the seminar, which is pretty funny. Even though that he's extremely humorous, you may know him, you can find him on the internet. He says this seminar has nothing to do with Adam, give us 10 minutes, Shawn, some of my shadows are taken 10 years. So my shadows have taken six seconds.
Meaning someone approached me and just, you know, so ready. And but he mentioned a beautiful parable to being witty about how you do things. He says, if someone has something
valueless in their heads, and you attack it, they're going to get protected. It's human nature, oh, you're saying I have to let this go? No, I'm not going to let it go. Whereas if someone has this sand in their hands, right, just think of the metaphor of sand, and you present to them, your diamonds, they are much more likely to kind of like just get embarrassed and put their hands behind their back and open their fingers slowly and let it fall, you know, in a very subtle fashion.
And so find points of agreement, and reasons for them to
subscribe to what you're presenting and not even begin on route to defending what they are presenting. Because the more they present, I'm not saying I'll let people speak. But the more they defend the position, right? The more you attack, the more they defend, the more they defend, the less likely they are to say everything that I fought about and yelled about and cursed about was wrong. Right? The very big difference between someone who believes something and someone who says who he believes it becomes less likely for them to trace back their steps. And then someone who, who said it and fought over it becomes even less likely they'll let go. And then someone who said it and
fought over it and cuts people off because of it becomes even more difficult on the ego right? So you man handling the ego of your audience is what it is all about sometimes. So Jaffa rhodiola one started with a point of agreement or sided sort of medium. You know, Chef you said is this?
May Allah bless him and extend his life and play it and continue to benefit us in the world with him.
He has a very beautiful explanation. I haven't heard it from anyone else.
That
he always defines Islam. How do you define Islam? Islam is, is an entire religion, defining Islam in a way that would appeal to a certain sector
or defining Islam different ways depending on who you're talking to. So long as all those ways are correct,
is part of it. So how does he define Islam he speaks to a majorly Christian audience. So he says to me, Islam can be perfectly defined by the Lord's Prayer you many of you may know the Lord's Prayer in Christianity. They say Our Father who art in heaven, give us today, our daily bread by kingdom come Thy will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. He says that Islam, he says Islam is to realize that in the heavens, meaning in the world all around us above us and below us. God's Will
In his creation is always carried out.
And on earth now our job is to, because we're the only ones that were given agency, some sort of freewill or a degree of freewill to take to align with the rest of the universe to volunteer, our will, to align it with his will. So, the will, meaning in his creation, our job is to align with the will what he wants.
In what he prescribed. He said, so the way God is fully in charge
of the involuntary universe, being a Muslim means to jump on board with the rest of the universe and voluntarily
embody the will of God in our lives. That's very beautiful, so beautiful. And I'm sure someone who comes from that background, the Christian background can appreciate it much more than me.
Likewise, this will be my
my second last point, and I'm closing trauma, which is
what people think of you. Sometimes you have to remove those barriers as well, as part of understanding your audience that your audience's belief about you slams terrorism, right.
You may have to work around that, because
you stick to fundamentals and stick to you know, channeling it back to the heat and the oneness of Allah subhanho wa Taala. But sometimes you just have to clear the air and say, We don't believe in that.
And this is a this is something we can talk about later.
And it may require a few more lines that may not be enough for them, but to to know how to clear the air and use what they believe about you.
towards what they will learn about your religion, you know, so yeah, I'm totally with you. If that's Islam, I got nothing to do with their religion or something like that. Right? That's it's fine to say that because you are searching it is not Islam. So you're not putting yourself in limbo or disrespecting Islam to say that.
It is not an unknown. You know, it's not a gamble. It's not a an expression of doubt. That's a filthy discussion. We can talk about it later.
And so but consider from another angle, the same thing the prophet SAW lamb used what he believed about him,
which was actually correct. This one is incorrect, you clearer for the doubt. This one is correct. He used it for the doubt. They didn't clear it. He said to the people and he went public when Allah first commandment to go public. What if I told you there was an cavalry and army of forces behind this valley? About to attack you? Will you believe me? They said, Well, you've never said a lie in your life. You've never experienced a life for me. We've never you've never said anything in your life. But truth. You mean you're so honest, that we actually titled yourself different. I mean, the truthful, the trustworthy. And he said, so he built on it. So in that case, since you, my audience,
believe that about me, now I'm going to hold you to it, I'm going to hold you to that value system, which is what that you believe that I'm honest, I am the messenger of a lot to you, warning you before the coming of a a great punishment.
And we already spoke about the emotional state of your audience, and how you need to be witty meaning wise in factoring that into your approach, that this is the last point the point of Allah xeljanz sing to us with the real lsvt obligor be taken. invite to the way of your Lord he mentioned three things will pick him up with wisdom.
What am I worried about? It has center and good exhortation, good admonishment? What God the humblest bility acen. And debate with them. in the best way. There's a difference between these three. It's not like a pick or choose. You're going to invite them using wisdom. That wisdom is not called good, right? Good exhortation. It's not called Best. It's just called wisdom because wisdom is naturally good. That is what it's about. And he says,
and so wisdom here as some scholars have defined it is just basically the the truths of Islam. Explain to them the truths of Islam, because that is inherently wise. You know, just share with them your diamond. Right. That's it's wisdom. He says what Jed didn't go home.
One more a lot. It has enough and good exhortation. So exhortation means advice, but it means an emotionally
charged advice. And so meaning when the conversation gets passionate,
be more careful with your words. Because these are your words now. your passions are getting involved. So
objectivity, wisdom, just the pure message is now there's your emotions, your emotions that generate their emotions. And so you have to be even more careful, because emotions do derail rationale, do derail, objectivity do derail our wisdom. Right? And so when things get emotional, you have to now even be more careful. So know what part of the conversations the emotional state, right? And so good exhortation, he called it because lots of times exhortation, your passion overrides your prudence, so it's not good. And then he says, what you didn't humbly let you hear accent and debate with them, they mate with them is like, you know, the tug of war. Now, he says the bait with them in the best
way, not in a good way. Because the baits are the least likely fruitful, least likely to be fruitful, is the most likely for people to be resistant. And that's why you need to be even more surgically careful about not getting their defenses. That is what it is all about. Knowing your religion, the content, the specs of your product,
knowing your audience, right.
How they perceive you, your character, what they believe. So you pick your angles, and then how they're feeling right now, their emotional states. I hope that summarizes what I was trying to get across in this talk. Let's stop here in sha Allah. And if there are any questions, I'll try my best to take them now. Baraka lovely comme
la, la cara, Chef Mohammed for the beneficial talk. In shallow we've got a few minutes. So if there's anyone who has any questions, please, if you could write them down, please make sure the question is related to the topic.
And inshallah I'll pass them over to the sheriff. Before we get to that, maybe we can. You've mentioned Hamdulillah, a lot of different elements, for example, smiling, could see and so on. Of course, at times, that becomes slightly difficult when it comes to online chat, which is the primary method use within the dialogue team. So any suggestions in terms of possible solutions in those scenarios?
Yeah, learn from public relations and customer service departments all over the globe. Right?
These people are your guests, these people are your customers, how would you treat your guests? Wouldn't you be more pronounced in your courtesy? Almost, you know what, not almost in a way that you probably wouldn't be in person because in person, there's body language. So customer service compensation with with more verbal language, like, you know, thank you, Mohammed, a representative will be with you shortly. Right? That that flavor
of I guess, like virtual etiquette
was designed was a science that is refined and designed and companies are trained on it because of its effectiveness. You know, I
I don't know if it's a good example or not, because some Muslims don't like Starbucks.
But how did Starbucks become the
the most reliable
household name for coffee, meaning as a retailer, there's no global coffee company that has the brand credits the credibility of the brand of Starbucks, because different coffee companies have invested in different ways to come out on top.
And some of them invested in advertisement if I can put my name in more places, like Dunkin Donuts if you guys have Dunkin Donuts around you. Dunkin Donuts is everywhere. In most places in America, like between every two Dunkin Donuts, there's a dunkin donuts. And they put billboards all over the place in commercials all over the place. And so they flood basically our eyes with advertising. That was their strategy. Other people spent a lot of money in. That didn't work. By the way, it didn't outdo Starbucks.
Because I'll tell you why later, other companies spent all of the money in they invested in,
in the quality of the coffee, let me spend a lot of money to get the most perfect coffee.
And that made expensive coffee. And people most people the average person can't differentiate
between valuable coffee and media or mediocre mediocre coffee. And so Starbucks invested in what this what I want you to appreciate. Starbucks invested in the customer experience. You don't see their their ads on highways, you don't see advertisements for them. They invested in training their baristas so that every single person that enters a Starbucks anywhere in the globe will come out feeling good, you know, and that shows you how much more human beings are emotional than we think.
So, Dunkin Donuts as much as they've, you know, put their name everywhere, they have invested the same in that customer experience in training their workers, right? And so you can get a different kind of coffee different like, you know, sometimes it's burned sometimes it's not sometimes it's there, sometimes it's that and every different Dunkin Donuts, right? And the people sometimes are smiling, sometimes they're not that sort of thing.
And as I said, with the investing in the expensive coffee, it was like superfluous, it just didn't matter, because most people can't detect the difference. And so investing in the experience people get being extra pronounced in it
is something that I would encourage you all, even if it's unnatural for you, it's all right. People need to know and be sure that you have their interests in mind from the get go. And throughout the conversation, that will be mine.
Okay, excellent. We have a question. What do you do with someone who does not change his abusive tone? Do you keep on debating? and for how long?
Yeah, I mean, there are variables, multiple variables, first of all, are they taking from someone else's time? I don't know the mechanism you have in place, like how do you switch off from one conversation to another, that's the first thing. If you're taking someone else's time, then you may want to politely excuse yourself from the conversation, maybe they'll be more willing, at a later time. Maybe they'll consider what you're saying, once you're out of their face. Maybe Allah as the agenda will allow for them. To think about what you're saying, in light of an event in their life that has not yet happened. And so it's not like we're saying they're hopeless, but we're saying
we're gonna have to prioritize. And so
we have to opt out of the conversation sometimes recognize our inability to change people because even the Prophet alayhi salatu salam guided to the path, but he couldn't get people on the path, only a luck and guide people to actually get on the path.
And so that's the first thing you need to prioritize and figure out, you know, should I leave or not? How do I figure that out? Meaning No, sorry. The first one is being okay with the fact that you may just have to end the conversation. The second thing is how do I know I should end the conversation? They say in I guess the,
the art of debating, when some scholars discuss, you know, what is permissible and impermissible debating what is a failed debate like an endless debate, versus what is a fruitful debate, because Allah did permit debate in the floor and in a very limited capacity, and do not debate with the people of the book, except in the best fashion. And in the verse we ended the lecture with and debate with them in the best way.
So it is permissible. But when it's fruitful, how do you know it's still fruitful, there's still potential in the debate. They said, if you feel like you are repeating the same arguments over and over again, and it's not making any headway, then it's probably too good to
end the argument, it's probably good to end the argument, because it could be that they are not ready to listen. And it could be that you're just not capable of making that argument to them. And so you should politely
admit that maybe we'll arrive at an agreement at a later time, yes.
Because it could be their failure. And it could be your failure. But the point is, this is how you recognize failure, like the end of the road, right? Like when it's just circular, and it's not really going anywhere.
I hope that's helpful inshallah.
Okay, considering time, we'll just finish with one last one, which is if you could possibly suggest some resources to help in this particular topic. So any recommendations for books that covers this particular area? There's a really good book in Sharla, you've heard of it, it's called the poor. And
so one of the tricks of shaytaan against the darat against the people that work in that hour is to get them to reach for secondary methods of persuasion, and not invoke the power of Quranic arguments. You can say, but how am I gonna like cite the floor and when they don't yet believe in the floor, and it's true, but the power of Quranic arguments, these are the most powerful arguments, because they are the arguments being made by the creator of the human mind, even if your audience does not believe that this is the creator speaking you do. And so you don't even have to tell them what's going on sometimes.
Or you can tell them with the disclaimer, look, just consider it for what it is here this with a grain of salt, you know, we find in the Quran that God says and so that's back.
It's very important for us to keep close and dear to us that we are certain that the Speaker of the Quran so panda who have died
is the creator of the pathways of human psychology. Right? He connected those neurons he created that brain.
he instilled those emotions and those those
predispositions, the fitrah it speaks to the fifth, it speaks to the mind, it speaks to the heart and Allah is the Creator of the fifth or the mind and the heart. You know,
that is what the more you read for and the more effective you'll be in dharma.
And the more you dedicate also just private worship, dedicate yourself devote like ritually to reading Allah 's words. The more Baraka Allah azza wa jal will place the more effectiveness even if it's like not calculable. even respond to discussion on strategy checklists of strategy like we did today in our lecture, Allah will place hidden potency, very real effectiveness in your words, if you are someone that holds his words very dear, and has a daily commitment to them.
Okay, Zack law had to share Mohammed for taking his time out. We're extremely appreciative. I know he has a very busy schedule, but we do hope that inshallah we can benefit from him in the future as well. And also exactly how to the rest of the team for attending the webinar today. inshallah we have another webinar in two weeks time. So we hope to see you then and with that inshallah will finish Subhana Allah He will be handy here subhanak Allahumma will be handicar shadow Allah, Allah Allah and that's the official kona tubeway Lake Salam alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh